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Python random Data generation Exercise to practice random data generation techniques

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This Python exercise will help you to practice and master random data generation techniques. This random number generation exercise question focuses on questions on generating random numbers, choices, and samples.

Further Reading Explore All Python Exercises and Python Quizzes to practice Python.

This random number generation exercise and challenge helps you to understand the different use of the Python random module, secrets module, and its methods.

What is included in this exercise?

  • Now it has 10 exercise questions.
  • The solution is provided at the end of each question.
  • Each question contains a specific skill you need to learn. When you complete each question, you get more familiar with random data generation techniques in Python.

Practice Questions using Online Code Editor

Refer to the following tutorials to solve the exercise.

Question 1: Generate 3 random integers between 100 and 999 which is divisible by 5

Reference article for help: Python get a random number within a range

Solution:

import random

print("Generating 3 random integer number between 100 and 999 divisible by 5")
for num in range(3):
    print(random.randrange(100, 999, 5), end=', ')

Output: Run Online

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Question 2: Random Lottery Pick. Generate 100 random lottery tickets and pick two lucky tickets from it as a winner.

Note you must adhere to the following conditions:

  • The lottery number must be 10 digits long.
  • All 100 ticket number must be unique.

Hint: Generate a random list of 1000 numbers using random.randrange()  and then use random.sample() method to pick lucky 2 tickets.

Solution:

import random

lottery_tickets_list = []
print("creating 100 random lottery tickets")
# to get 100 ticket
for i in range(100):
    # ticket number must be 10 digit (1000000000, 9999999999)
    lottery_tickets_list.append(random.randrange(1000000000, 9999999999))
# pick 2 luck tickets
winners = random.sample(lottery_tickets_list, 2)
print("Lucky 2 lottery tickets are", winners)

Output: Run Online

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Question 3: Generate 6 digit random secure OTP

Reference article for help:

Solution:

import secrets

#Getting systemRandom class instance out of secrets module
secretsGenerator = secrets.SystemRandom()

print("Generating 6 digit random OTP")
otp = secretsGenerator.randrange(100000, 999999)

print("Secure random OTP is ", otp)
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Question 4: Pick a random charcter from a given String

Reference article for help: random.choice()

Solution:

import random

name = 'pynative'
char = random.choice(name)
print("random char is ", char)
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Question 5: Generate  random String of length 5

Note: String must be the combination of the UPPER case and lower case letters only. No numbers and a special symbol.

Reference article for help: Generate random String in Python.

Solution:

import random
import string

def randomString(stringLength):
    """Generate a random string of 5 charcters"""
    letters = string.ascii_letters
    return ''.join(random.choice(letters) for i in range(stringLength))

print ("Random String is ", randomString(5) )
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Question 6: Generate a random Password which meets the following conditions

  • Password length must be 10 characters long.
  • It must contain at least 2 upper case letters, 1 digit, and 1 special symbol.

Reference article for help: Generate random String and Password in Python

Solution:

import random
import string

def randomPassword():
    randomSource = string.ascii_letters + string.digits + string.punctuation
    password = random.sample(randomSource, 6)
    password += random.sample(string.ascii_uppercase, 2)
    password += random.choice(string.digits)
    password += random.choice(string.punctuation)

    passwordList = list(password)
    random.SystemRandom().shuffle(passwordList)
    password = ''.join(passwordList)
    return password

print ("Password is ", randomPassword())
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Question 7: Calculate mutiplication of two random float numbers

Note:

  • First random float number must be between 0.1 and 1
  • Second random float number must be between 9.5 and 99.5

Reference article for help: Generate a random float number between a float range

Solution:

import random

num1  = random.random()
print("First Random float is ", num1)
num2 = random.uniform(9.5, 99.5)
print("Second Random float is ", num1)

num3 = num1 * num2
print("Multiplication is ", num3)
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Question 8: Generate random secure token of 64 bytes and random URL

Reference article for help: Python secrets module to generate a secure token and URL

Solution:

import secrets

print("Random secure Hexadecimal token is ", secrets.token_hex(64))
print("Random secure URL is ", secrets.token_urlsafe(64))
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Question 9: Roll dice in such a way that every time you get the same number

Dice has 6 number(from 1 to 6). Roll dice in such a way that every time you must get same output number. do this 5 times.

Reference article for help:

Solution:

import random

dice = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
print("Randomly selecting same number of a dice")
for i in range(5):
    random.seed(25)
    print(random.choice(dice))
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Question 10: Generate a random date between given start and end dates

Solution:

import random
import time

def getRandomDate(startDate, endDate ):
    print("Printing random date between", startDate, " and ", endDate)
    randomGenerator = random.random()
    dateFormat = '%m/%d/%Y'

    startTime = time.mktime(time.strptime(startDate, dateFormat))
    endTime = time.mktime(time.strptime(endDate, dateFormat))

    randomTime = startTime + randomGenerator * (endTime - startTime)
    randomDate = time.strftime(dateFormat, time.localtime(randomTime))
    return randomDate

print ("Random Date = ", getRandomDate("1/1/2016", "12/12/2018"))
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Comments

  1. Ali

    I think I may have found a simpler solution for Q10 as yours was difficult to follow:

    def random_dates(start_date,end_date):
     start_date = start_date.split('-')
     end_date = end_date.split('-'))
     random_day = random.randint(int(start_date[1]),int(end_date[1]))
     random_month = random.randint(int(start_date[0]),int(end_date[0]))
     print ('Date = ' + str(random_month) + ' - ' + str(random_day) + ' - ' + '2019')
    Reply

  3. Bill Hardwick

    Q10 – I think your solution is unnecessarily complicated. I offer my simpler solution:

    import random, datetime as dt
start_date = dt.date(2019, 1, 1)
print(f'Start of period = {start_date}')
end_date = dt.date(2019, 12, 25)
print(f'End of period   = {end_date}')
delta = (end_date - start_date).days
r = random.randint(0, delta)
r_date = start_date + dt.timedelta(days = r)
print(f'Random date  = {r_date}')
Start of period = 2019-01-01
End of period   = 2019-12-25
Random date  = 2019-04-14
    Reply

  4. Bill Hardwick

    Q6 – Hmm. I hadn’t come across the shuffle function, so rather than code one myself, I arrived at this alternative solution. It is obviously less efficient than your answer, but given the scale of the problem the timing difference is not of practical significance.

    import string, secrets
s = string.ascii_letters + string.digits + string.punctuation
pw = ''
uc = 0
dg = 0
sp = 0
while len(pw) < 10:
  z = secrets.choice(s)
  if z in string.ascii_uppercase: uc += 1
  elif z in string.digits: dg += 1
  elif z in string.punctuation: sp += 1
  pw += z
  if len(pw) == 10:
    #Does it meet the criteria?  If not, ditch it and try again
    if uc < 2 or dg < 2 or sp < 2: 
      pw = ''
      uc = dg = sp = 0
print(pw)
    Reply

  5. Bill Hardwick

    Q5 – badly worded. “String must be the combination of the UPPER case and lower case letters only. No numbers and a special symbol.”
    Thus can only be interpreted as requiring a string comprised of letters (any case – or arguably a mix of cases) plus a special symbol. (A slightly more difficult problem which I addressed.)
    I suggest re-wording it as “The string must contain only upper and/or lower case alphabetic characters..” There is no need for your second sentence.

    Reply

  6. Bill Hardwick

    Q2 – Sorry, but I’m afraid your solution is incorrect: it does not preclude duplicate ticket numbers being generated. For example, substituting smaller values into your solution for demonstration purposes:

    import random
lottery_tickets_list = []
print("creating 10 random lottery tickets")
for i in range(10):
    lottery_tickets_list.append(random.randrange(10, 20))
print(lottery_tickets_list)

    typically results in duplicate-riddled output like this:
    creating 10 random lottery tickets
    [18, 16, 13, 13, 16, 10, 10, 14, 11, 16]

    My solution uses a set rather than a list to achieve the correct result:

    import random
tickets  = set()
while len(tickets) < 100:
  tickets.add(random.randrange(1000000000, 10000000000))
print('Drum roll...')
print('and the lucky winners are numbers:')
winners = random.sample(tickets, 2)
print(f'{winners[0]} and {winners[1]}')

    which outputs
    Drum roll…
    and the lucky winners are numbers:
    8975225689 and 1386699143
    Note also the use of 10000000000 as the top of the range value rather than your 9999999999 because the end-point for the range is exclusive. (The same comment applies to Q1, although this does not affect the outcome.)

    Reply

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